Gluten Free Muffuletta Sandwich and Gluten Free Muffuletta Bread Recipe

First off, how do you spell this?  Muffuletta or Muffaletta?  What exactly is a Muffuletta anyway? I had to ask myself this question because I never heard of it before.  I needed to figure it out soon because I need a Gluten Free one in under a weeks time.  So I started the way I start out anything....Google Search. In this search I discovered that Muffuletta is the signature sandwich of New Orleans. Wikipedia says that the Muffuletta originated in New Orleans, Louisiana and is a type of round Sicilian type sesame bread that could be compared to a submarine type sandwich.  The bread is made into a large round and somewhat flattened loaf with a sturdy texture and about 10 inches in diameter.  It is described as being somewhat similar to focaccia.  It needed to be sturdy because of the juicy olive spread that is served on it as a sandwich.

OK, that is a good place to start.  I think I can muster up a loaf of this type. My mother is Sicilian after all and I do have one particular recipe that she says is similar to Sicilian bread.

The Muffuletta bread is split and filled with sliced Provolone cheese, Genoa salami and Cappicola ham, topped with Olive Salad that includes olives, oregano, parsley, olive oil, red-wine vinegar, salt and pepper.  Sounds like an Italian hoagie to me.  Either that or a Antipasti served on a roll!  LOL.

OK, so are you ready?  Lets get started.

1/2 teaspoon Vinegar

2 Eggs

3/4 cup Warm Water (110 to 115 degrees)

2 Tablespoons Oil

2 Tablespoons Sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons Yeast

1 cup Tapioca Starch

1/2 cup Brown Rice Flour

1/2 cup Corn Starch

2 Tablespoons Almond Meal

2 teaspoons Xanthan Gum

1 teaspoon Salt

1 Egg (for egg wash)

2 Tablespoons Water (for egg wash)

2-3 Tablespoons of Sesame Seeds

I jar or recipe of Olive Spread Salad

8 ounces thinly sliced Genoa salami

8 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham

8 ounces sliced mortadella

8 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese

8 ounces sliced provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 170 degrees and turn off.

Line Pizza pan with Parchment Paper sprayed with oil.

• Combine Warm Water, Oil, Sugar and Yeast and allow to sit and become fluffy.
• Meanwhile add eggs and vinegar to your stand mixer with whip attached and beat eggs until light and foamy.
• Gradually add Flour, Almond Meal, Gum and Salt to mixer bowl until all is incorporated.
• Next add the fluffy yeast/liquid mixture.  Scrape sides down as needed.
• Allow to mix on low for a few minutes until the texture of the batter starts to look like whipped cream cheese.
• Line a flat pizza pan with parchment and generously spray with oil and turn dough out onto pan.
• With your oiled hands, shape dough into a flat round disk about 9 inches across (it will rise and expand to be about 10").
• Sprinkle the top of your loaf with 2-3 tablespoons of sesame seeds and lightly press them into the dough.  I Omit this part, my kids would not eat it with sesame's on top.
• Place shaped loaf into warmed oven to rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until doubled in size.
• Take dough out of oven from rising and coat with egg wash (egg and water mixed throughly).
• Place baking stone inside oven and turn Oven on to 350 degrees.
• Once oven and stone are preheated, gently slide the loaf and parchment over on top of your peel. 
• Place loaf directly onto hot stone inside oven (you will want the dough/parchment to be directly on the stone).
• Bake for 25-30 minutes.